Effect of Stress on Academic Performance among Undergraduate Medical Students, a Follow-up Study

Abstract

Background Studying medicine is perceived as being stressful, and a high level of stress may have a negative effect on cognitive functions and learning.

Objectives: To determine the effect of stress on the academic performance of medical students, as well as the prevalence of different forms of stress among medical students.

Subjects and Methods: A follow up study comprising a questionnaire survey, The Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ), offered to the same student cohort to complete at 2 time- points, at their third- and sixth-year medical school, in 2019 and 2022 respectively. The study included 652 students who completed the questionnaire twice.

Results: A significant difference between student scores at the academic time-point compared to their scores at the clinical time-point (p= 0.035). A significantly higher percentage of severe stress was found among students at their clinical point compared to those of their academic point as regards to all forms of stress except the academic related stress. Whereas a significantly lower percentage of mild to moderate stress was found among students as regards to all forms of stress except the academic related stress. Only academic related stress was negatively correlated to students’ scores. All other stressors studied were positively correlated to students’ scores. All studied demographic factors have significant impact on stressors (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Over time, medical students developed more severe stress related to all forms of stress except the academic one. Reasons behind this decreased academic stress over the years need to be identified with further studies.